Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Ways to Reduce CO2 Emissions

House & Garden
Grow your own fruit and veg. Planting berry bushes, garden vegetables and herbs will help you eat locally so you don't have to worry about food miles.
Turn waste food into compost and use it to help grow your garden foods. Almost 50% of the total amount of food thrown away in the UK comes from our homes. We throw away 7.2 million tonnes of food and drink from our homes every year in the UK, and more than half of this is food and drink we could have eaten. Rather than throwing away the food and adding the waste to landfill we can put it in compost bins and use it more efficiently.

Eat and buy local produce. Fruit and veg in super markets and most markets are often shipped or flown from distant countries, even when they can be easily grown locally. This requires burning fossil fuels for transport, so buying locally grown produce can save a lot of oil.

Use Eco-products. If you want to repaint your house, use latex paint or sustainable water solvent agricultural oil-based coatings. This new paint technology using agricultural oils are an improved environmental product that latex paints, releasing zero harmful VOC fumes while drying, has no odor or allergy emissions, manufactured using 75% renewable resources and has a low industrial manufacturing carbon foot print. It's healthier for you and the planet too.

Reduce your heating. Weather proof your home. Add insulation, especially to the roof, as it drastically cuts heating and cooling expenses. Change your windows for double glazing. Add outside shades to use in the summer. Doing these saves energy as well as money!
Check the thermostat. Chances are you don't need the heating on at all in the summer, and in the winter you can turn it down a little and just wear extra layers of clothing.

Purchase green energy and energy efficient appliances with the "energy star" label. Theses appliances require less energy to be used which result in lower bills and less fossil fuels being burned.

Reduce your electricity use. We tend to leave things plugged in, turned on or on standby around the house. Turn of lights and other energy sucking devices when they aren't being used. Replace older light bulbs with energy-saving fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent light bulbs are a little more expensive, but much more efficient - they use about a seventh of the power and last about twelve times longer. If you're leaving your computer for a while, put it on stand-by. You'll be able to restart it quickly, and it'll take less energy than shutting it down and then restarting it. Unplug your charger and turn tv's and other consoles and devices off at the switch and not on standby with the remote.

Try alternative energy devices. Windmill kits are inexpensive and are a great source of electricity in windy areas. Solar energy, especially solar collectors for water heaters, is possible for most homes. Some companies will buy back excess electricity.

Use a reel (cylinder) lawnmower. This need no power supply and is also quieter for you and your neighbours.

Use rechargeable batteries rather than disposable ones, as they last longer and wont be thrown away into landfill.

Conserving Water
Take short showers. Showers use much less water. The other choice is to fill a bucket with water and take a jug, and keep filling it with water from the bucket and pouring it over your head. You can also turn the shower off in the middle of the shower to lather yourself up rather than leaving it constantly running.

Pollute less. Soap pollutes less than shower gel. When washing dishes, wash greasy pans last to keep the water clean.

Turn off taps properly, especially when brushing your teeth. Every little bit helps.

Fix dripping taps. The constant drip waste water, energy and money, so repair them as soon as possible. You can also save by installing an inexpensive "flow control" device in shower heads and faucets.

Transportation and travel
Buy a bike and use it. With gas prices so high, it will pay for itself. Ride it to work or to run errands.
Everyone benefits when you ride a bike. It saves money, keeps you fit and produces zero co2 emissions. It helps conserve our limited oil resources, you are not polluting and you are exercising.
Buy an electric bike or an electric motor add on kit for a regular bike. This is a significant benefit for those who aren't in shape, have a long way to cycle, have to bike on hot days or don't want to sweat, or have to ride through lots of hills.

Walk short distances rather than drive. It may be convenient to drive, but it costs money and probably takes longer than walking would if you consider traffic and traffic lights, and emits pollutants to boot.

Use public transport for long trips. this may take a little longer, but you can read, listen to headphones, work on computer or craft projects, or talk to people instead of having to stare straight ahead for the length of your commute.

Sources:
http://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-Your-Greenhouse-Gas-Emissions
http://england.lovefoodhatewaste.com/node/2472
http://bravenewclimate.com/2008/08/29/top-10-ways-to-reduce-your-co2-emissions-footprint/
http://www.carbonfootprint.com/minimisecfp.html

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